Shelter apparatus



Dec. 25, 1962 J. w. BEATTY SHELTER APPARATUS Filed March 1, 1960 JOHN W 55977) f/ S HTTOEA/f) 3,070,107 Patented Dec. 25, 1952 3,070,107 SEELTER APPARATUS John W. Beatty, 1071 Patterson Road, Dayton, Ohio Filed Mar. 1, 1960, Ser. No. 12,1? 6 Claims. (6i. 1355) This invention relates to novel apparatus for creating sheltered or shaded areas on a beach, on a boat, in a yard and the like. It will be particularly described herein with reference to providing a portable shelter or shade device on a beach in a form to be called a Sun Sail. However, it is to be understood that this is for purposes for illustration only. It will be obvious therefrom that variations in form and application thereof may be readily made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Many shade creating devices have been proposed in the prior art for general and specific applications. The cost thereof has been substantial in proportion to the degree of shade or shelter enabled thereby. In many instances the efiiciency, effectiveness and portability thereof has been questionable.

The present invention is directed to providing means for simply creating a maximum shaded or sheltered area with a minimum of equipment and minimum expense. it also affords an improved relation of shade creating elements, enabling ready portability and providing secure establishment of the cover afforded thereby.

A primary object of the invention is to provide improvements in portable apparatus for creating sheltered or shaded areas rendering such apparatus economical to fabricate, more efiicient and satisfactory in use, adaptable to a wide variety of applications and so as to require minimum maintenance.

A further object of the invention is to provide apparatus for creating substantial shaded areas which can be readily assembled and disassembled to form a small compact package for transport or storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simplified portable structure for creating a shaded area.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel portable unit for providing protection against the elements in any open area which affords maximum cover with minimum structure.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved apparatus for creating a portable sun shelter including means providing vertical support for a sail type cloth cover element so related that the cover element is anchored to the support means in a tensioned condition on application and thereby adapted to give maximum shelter or cover in use.

Another object of the invention is to provide shelter apparatus possessing the advantageous structural features, the inherent meritorious characteristics, and the means and mode of operation herein described.

With the above primary and other incidental objec' in View, as will more fully appear in the specification, the invention intended to be protected by Letters Patent consists of the features of construction, the parts and combinations thereof, and their mode of operation or utilization, or their equivalents, as hereinafter described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

Referring to the drawings, wherein preferred but not necessarily the only forms of embodiment, of the invention are shown,

FIG. 1 is a generally schematic view of a sun shelter in accordance with the invention, taken in perspective;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary View of the shelter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the shelter of FIG. 1 folded for storage;

FIGS. 4-6 are fragmentary views of modifications of the shelter of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary view, partly in section, illustrating detail common to the support structure employed in the various invention embodiments shown; and

FIG. 8 is a generally schematic view of yet another embodiment of the invention, taken in perspective.

The invention can be best described with particular reference to the drawings.

The embodiment shown in FlGS. 1-3 and 7 includes a post assembly 1. The assembly in .a preferred form, for use on a beach, includes an anchor tube 2 and an extension tube 3. The tubes have generally uniform diameters except for one end of the anchor tube which is appropriately tapered, thereby adapting it to be readily anchored in the sand on a beach. A pair of connector elements 4 respectively fixed in adjacent ends of the tubes 2 and 3 serve to establish the tubes in coaxial relation.

Each of the elements 4 is generally cylindrical in character and uniformly reduced at one end 5 to define an annular shoulder 6 at right angles to its central axis. Its central portion '7 has a cross sectional dimension conforming to that of the tubes 2 and 3 while its other end defines a right angle hook extremity 8. The end 5 of each element 4 has a cross section enabling a press fit thereof in one of the tubes 2 and 3.

As may be seen with reference to FIG. 7 of the drawings, an element 4 is fixed in each of the adjacent ends of the tubes 2 and 3 by the medium of its reduced end 5 to seat its shoulder 6 thereto. This provides that the central and hook portions of the elements 4 form coaxial extensions of the tubes. On arranging the hook extremities 8 in diametrically opposed positions, they may be brought together to overlap, in a manner believed obvious, to effect a connection of the tubes 2 and 3. It should be noted that a pin h is projected through the anchor tube 2 immediately below the connector element 4 press fit thereto. Since the external dimension of the coupled portions of the elements 4 conform to that of the tubes 2 and 3, a sleeve 16 may then be slipped down the extension tube 3 to seat to the projected ends of pin 9 and confine the connector elements 4 and the adjacent ends of the tubes therebetween. The inner dimension of the sleeve 16 is such that it immediately confines the tubes and connector elements to effect a stable and rigidly fixed relation thereof.

The post assembly it thus provided can be simply and rapidly erected in any location without need for any tools or special knowledge.

As may be seen with reference to F IGS. 1-3 of the drawings, a tubular adapter sleeve H is projected through diametrically aligned apertures in the upper end of extension tube 3 and fixed thereto by a pin 12 at right angles to its central axis. The ends of the sleeve 11 project equally from opposite sides of the tube 3 and at right angles thereto. The uppermost portion of the sleeve 11 is axially extended from its respective extremities to define projections 13 which are arcuate in cross section.

A pair of tubular rods '14 are provided which, as assembled, respectively nest to one end in the respective ends of the sleeve ll. Each rod 14 has a pair of tubular sleeves 15 and 16 concentrically fixed thereabout adjacent its nesting end by a bolt 17 projected diametrically therethrough. The inner sleeve 15 is shorter than the outer sleeve 16 and positioned inwardly thereof relative the nesting end of the rod 14 to which it mounts. The sleeves 15 and 16 are so positioned to form a collar on each of the rods 14 adjacent its nesting end. As the nesting ends of the rods 14 are applied in either end of adapter 11, the outer sleeves thereon telescopically mount about the projections 13 of the adapter which in turn abut the inner sleeves to limit movement of the rods inwardly of the adapter. Springs 18 respectively connect between the bolts 17 and the pin 12 to bias the rods 14 inwardly of the sleeve :11. The rods 14, thus assembled, will project axially from the sleeve 11 firmly tensioned and confined thereto.

A flexible sail cloth 19 is employed which is folded over and stitched to one end to define a channel 26 centrally interrupted by a cut out portion 21. The channel is closed to the remote ends thereof while it is open at the cut out portion 21, which is greater in length than the adapter 11, including its projections 13. As the cloth 19 is assembled, the projected ends of rods 14 are accommodated in the respective portions of channel 2% to either side of cut out 21 in a manner believed obvious. The dimension of this channel 26 and cut out 21 is such that on assembly of the cloth 19 to the rods 14 and the positioning of the rods 14 in adapter 11 as described, a further bias is applied to the outermost ends of rods 14 to fix their assembled position relative the adapter.

The cloth 19 is thus anchored to one end to rods 14 while its other end which is relatively free is provided with cords 22 attached to and extending from its lateral extremities. Bags 23 are connected to the projected extremities of cords 22 in any suitable manner.

Noting FIG. 1 of the drawings, the invention embodiments may be quickly erected on any beach as described. The post assembly 1 will naturally be positioned generally vertically. Once the post assembly 1 is erected, the relatively free end of the cloth 19 may be moved outwardly therefrom, preferably to be disposed in the path of prevailing Winds. The bags 23 can be filled with beach sand and placed at points equally spaced from the post assembly to anchor the free end of the sail cloth. The normal positioning of the cloth 19 will provide a shaded area which will be enhanced and enlarged as the sail cloth will billow to accommodate prevailing Winds. Not only will a shelter from the sun be provided, but also the breezes will be partially contained to provide a comfortable cooling effect.

This shelter can be quickly and efficiently taken down. Due to the inherent resiliency of the cloth 19 and springs 18, a pull outwardly on rods 14 will cause their nesting ends to clear sleeve 11 under projections 13 sufliciently for collars 16 to clear projections 13. Now the rods 14, with the sail cloth still on, may be folded to the sides of the post assembly 1, causing a central fold to be effected longitudinally from one end to the other of the sail cloth. The cloth 19 so folded can be wrapped about the rods 14 to confine them to the post assembly and simply confined by cords 22. A simple, compact, easy to carry package is provided thereby. The reverse procedure may be readily efiected to erect the unit once more.

The simplicity and novelty of the invention embodiment is believed clearly obvious. its components are simple to fabricate, easy to store and transport and adaptable to any location without ditliculty.

FIG. 4 shows a modification of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3. Here the post assembly 1 and sail cloth 19 are formed and applied as in the instance first described. However, in this instance an adapter 11 is employed which is uniformly tubular throughout its projected extremities, which extend from the post assembly at right angles thereto. Also, here sleeves 15 and 16 are eliminated from the tubular rods 14 leaving only bolts 17 fixed diametrically of and adjacent the ends of the rods which mount to the adapter. In this case the rods 14 are internally dimensioned to telescopically mount about the projected ends of tubular adapter 11' to abut opposite sides of extension tube 3 thereabout. Springs 18 here similarly and respectively connect between the bolts 17 in the r spective tubular rods 14 and the pin 12 which fixes adapter 11 to tube 3. This embodiment of FIG. 4 is somewhat cheaper to fabricate and somewhat less efficient than that provided in FIGS. 1-3. However, it should be clear that it can be similarly erected and dismantled with obvious advantages remaining. These advantages, having been enumerated in some detail previously herein, seem to require no repetition.

FIG. 5 of the drawings presents an invention embodiment which dififers from that of FIG. 4 only in the employment of a solid rod for the adapter 11 and the omission of pins or bolts 17 and the springs 18 from rods 14' there employed. In this embodiment a sail cloth 19' is provided identical to the cloth 19 of sufficient strength and resiliency that on application of rods 14' in the spaced portions of its channel 21} and mounting the rods to the adapter, the cloth will apply a strong firm bias to the rods. This Ibias will cause the relatively adjacent ends of the tubular rods 14' to be positively fixed about the adapter rod 11 and against the post tube 3. Again, this structure is capable of a simple assembly and disassembly in the obvious manner previously indicated herein.

While the element 19 or 19' is described as a sail cloth herein, it should be recognized that it may be of any sheet material having similar characteristics.

FIG. 6 presents a variation of the embodiment of FIG. 5. Here the sleeve adapter 11' is tubular while support rods 14 for the element 19' employed are similarly tubular. The remote ends of rods 14 are thus accomodated in the spaced channel portions 211 of a sheet element 19', as previously described, while their adjacent ends are contained in the respective ends of sleeve adapter 11. The pressures applied on the rods 14 by the closed ends of the channel 2 0 defined in the sheet element constrain the adjacent ends of the rods 14 to abut pin 12 fixing the adapter to post extension tube 3. The apparatus thus pro- =vided may be assembled, disassembled and packaged in the manner of the other embodiments of the invention.

FIG. 8 merely shows that a pair of stakes 25 may be substituted for the bags 23 attached to the free end of the sail cloth 19 or 19. These may be anchored to establish a necessary elevation of the free end of the sail cloth a required.

A further feature of the invention is that a sail cloth or sheet element 19 or 19' may be employed without anchor means at its relatively free end. Thus, if the shelter device is to be used on a beach, the post assembly may be positioned with the sheet assembly relatively free except for its connection to rods 14 and in the path or prevailing air currents. These currents will cause the sheet to billow or stand out from the post assembly to create a shaded area proportionate to the air currents without need for support of the relatively free end of the element 19 or 19'.

It may thus be seen that a unique portable shelter is provided which is particularly advantageous for use as a sun shelter. However, it should be obvious that shelters having other application may advantageously embody the invention features. The shelter components are so simple to fabricate, assemble and package that its economy and desirability for the average unskilled person become obvious.

From the above description it will be apparent that there is thus provided a device of the character described possessing the particular features of advantage before enumerated as desirable, but which obviously is susceptible of modification in form, proportion, detail construction and arrangement of parts without departing from the principles involved or sacrificing any of their advantages.

While in order to comply with the statute the invention has been described in language more or less specific as to structural features, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific features shown but the means and construction herein disclosed merely comprise modes by Way of example of putting the invention into effect.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A portable shelter including a generally cylindrical post unit adapted to be erected with one end anchored in the ground, a tubular adapter at right angles to the other end of said post unit, means fixing said adapter to project from opposite sides of said post unit, means telescopically mounted to either end of said adapter, means biasing the telescopically mounted means inwardly to said post unit and flexible sheet means containing said telescopically mounted means in one end thereof and laterally tensioned thereby, the other end of said sheet element being relatively free and having means for anchoring thereof in a predetermined relation to said post unit, said biasing and flexible sheet means being arranged to accommodate a free sliding displacement of the telescopically mounted means from said adapter to the side of said post unit to enable wrapping of said sheet means thereabout.

2. A portable shelter including elongated mounting elements in end to end relation having a sleeve confining their adjacent ends to fix them in axial alignment, anchoring means at one remote end of said mounting elements for establishing them in generally vertical relation, a tubular adapter transversely of the other remote end. of said mounting elements, a rod-like element nesting to one end in each end of said tubular adapter, means biasing said rod-like elements to each other, said rod-like elements being displaceable outwardly of the adapter against the bias thereon to the sides of and generally parallel to said mounting elements.

3. A portable shelter including post means, a pair of arms, means mounting said arms in laterally projected relation to said post means for free sliding displacement in an axial sense, a flexible sheet-like element having one end portion connected to said arms to be tensioned thereby and apply a bias thereon directed inwardly to said post means, the other end of said sheet-like element being relatively free to accommodate prevailing air currents and effect a contour corresponding thereto whereby to provide a sheltered or shaded area.

4. A portable shelter comprising, a post unit adapted to be anchored in a generally vertical position, an adapter at its upper end and projected to opposite sides of said post unit, rod-like elements slidably mounting to said adapter to opposite sides of said post unit, a flexible sheet unit having one end mounted to said rod-like elements to influence said rod-like elements to be biased to said adapter, said sheet being laterally tensioned thereby and the body thereof otherwise relatively free of said post unit to contour under the influence of prevailing air currents, said rod-like elements being adapted for axial displacement against the influence of said flexible sheet element.

5. A portable shelter including post means adapted to be anchored vertically with reference to a base surface, an adapter fixed transversely of said post means, rod like means telescopically related to project oppositely from said adapter in a generally coaxial relation, means biasing said rod-like means to each other including one end of a flexible sheet the body of which is adapted to be relatively free and contour in accordance with prevailing air currents and said rod-like means being displaceable outwardly of their adapter against the bias thereon to the sides of said post means to induce a longitudinal fold in said sheet and facilitate its wrapping thereabout.

6. A portable shelter including, a post unit having means to one end for anchoring it in a substantially erect position, an adapter section adjacent its opposite end, rod-like units telescopically mounted to said adapter section to project substantially at right angles to opposite sides of said post unit and arranged for free axial adjustment to and from said post unit with reference to Said adapter section, a flexible sheet element having a peripheral portion at one end mounting to said rod-like units to apply a bias to their remote extremities directed inwardly to said post unit, said sheet element being laterally tensioned thereby and the body thereof being otherwise free of said post unit to contour in accordance with prevailing air currents.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 444,605 Comstock Jan. 13, 1891 527,549 Frankenberg Oct. 16, 1894 679,963 Hayward Aug. 6, 1901 736,765 Morgan Aug. 18, 1903 882,870 Cary Mar. 24, 1908 988,446 Davis Apr. 4, 1911 1,018,941 Storm Feb. 27, 1912 1,067,435 McNamara July 15, 1913 1,376,218 Morant Apr. 26, 1921 1,387,740 Stevens Aug. 16, 1921 1,650,111 Byne Nov. 22, 1927 2,190,566 Julian Feb. 13, 1940 2,528,721 Brokman et a1 Nov. 7, 1950 2,886,047 Healy May 12, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 51,505 Denmark Apr. 6, 1936 

